Mohican 100
- pacing Kim Bracken from mile53 aid station to mile78 aid
- 7:58pm - 5:30ish am
- Mohican State Park
- 24.96 miles
- 9:19:45
- 22:25 pace
- 2556 ft. of elevation
- aveHR 92
- maxHR 141
My first experience pacing any race, and what an experience. First off Kim is amazing. This was her first go at the 100-mile distance and she made it to mile-81 before being pulled for missing the time cut-off. We were hiking strong through mile-58 when her right calf started to severely cramp. We stretched and began using trekking poles up to the next aid station where she got it wrapped, stretched and wrapped an ice pack on by the medical staff. This improved her condition tremendously and we were back to hiking about a 17 minute per mile pace through the next next couple of miles. Maybe 1.5-2 miles out from the Covered Bridge aid station at ~mile65, her IT band on the left leg started to give out as well. Our pace had already begun to slow (19-min/mile) but we were still on pace for a finish. We stopped and stretched on trail which afforded some relief but we required to additional stops before the next aid station at mile72ish. Additional medical attention to the calf and now to the IT band, I believe she now had 4 ace bandages and 2 ice packs strapped to her but she was still moving and we were getting there. All this time I continued to annoy her about eating as we moved, mostly this was effective and sometimes not. ~3am she became verbally tired, commenting on how she felt like she sleep walking at times and sometimes stumbling because of this. Additional stretching sessions also occurred. Pace during some of these miles was now becoming 25 to a max of 35 minutes per mile. This was not due to a lack of will, her body was breaking down and we did our best to manage it and she kept pressing on. She knew she was slowing and wanted to know what time it was, her watch battery had died by this point, I refused to tell her and just said 'It's Sunday'. I felt she didn't need additional stress about hearing her pace, she just needed to continue to move forward as fast and smooth as possible. She agreed that regardless of time, this is what she had. As we exited the forest approaching mile78 aid, friends and family were waiting for her. The sun was rising and tears came down as she knew she was over the cut-off, but she was right at the cut-off. She checked in and the workers said she could continue if she chose. Some quick adjustments and she was headed towards the next check point with Jill and Andrea her next pacers. It was at the mile-81 check point she was now officially behind and pulled from the course. Words do not describe the strength and determination to press on I witnessed in these 25-miles.
- pacing Kim Bracken from mile53 aid station to mile78 aid
- 7:58pm - 5:30ish am
- Mohican State Park
- 24.96 miles
- 9:19:45
- 22:25 pace
- 2556 ft. of elevation
- aveHR 92
- maxHR 141
My first experience pacing any race, and what an experience. First off Kim is amazing. This was her first go at the 100-mile distance and she made it to mile-81 before being pulled for missing the time cut-off. We were hiking strong through mile-58 when her right calf started to severely cramp. We stretched and began using trekking poles up to the next aid station where she got it wrapped, stretched and wrapped an ice pack on by the medical staff. This improved her condition tremendously and we were back to hiking about a 17 minute per mile pace through the next next couple of miles. Maybe 1.5-2 miles out from the Covered Bridge aid station at ~mile65, her IT band on the left leg started to give out as well. Our pace had already begun to slow (19-min/mile) but we were still on pace for a finish. We stopped and stretched on trail which afforded some relief but we required to additional stops before the next aid station at mile72ish. Additional medical attention to the calf and now to the IT band, I believe she now had 4 ace bandages and 2 ice packs strapped to her but she was still moving and we were getting there. All this time I continued to annoy her about eating as we moved, mostly this was effective and sometimes not. ~3am she became verbally tired, commenting on how she felt like she sleep walking at times and sometimes stumbling because of this. Additional stretching sessions also occurred. Pace during some of these miles was now becoming 25 to a max of 35 minutes per mile. This was not due to a lack of will, her body was breaking down and we did our best to manage it and she kept pressing on. She knew she was slowing and wanted to know what time it was, her watch battery had died by this point, I refused to tell her and just said 'It's Sunday'. I felt she didn't need additional stress about hearing her pace, she just needed to continue to move forward as fast and smooth as possible. She agreed that regardless of time, this is what she had. As we exited the forest approaching mile78 aid, friends and family were waiting for her. The sun was rising and tears came down as she knew she was over the cut-off, but she was right at the cut-off. She checked in and the workers said she could continue if she chose. Some quick adjustments and she was headed towards the next check point with Jill and Andrea her next pacers. It was at the mile-81 check point she was now officially behind and pulled from the course. Words do not describe the strength and determination to press on I witnessed in these 25-miles.
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